AOL Time Warner and Sony Corp. agreed to collaborate on the development of Internet technologies for consumer devices, in a move likely to enliven ther competition with Microsoft Corp.
The Walol Street Journal reports the two media companies plan to develop networking devices for homes with high-speed Internet access and to build an Internet browser that can run on devices such as digital camcorders and televisions. In addition, the companies agreed to explore the idea of using America Online to provide Internet access on Sony devices in the U.S.
"Together we can do a lot more than either of us could do separately," said Steve Case, chairman of AOL, told the Journal.
Both AOL and Sony are presently engaged in separate battles with Microsoft. Software company Microsoft is taking aim at AOL's Internet access business while competing with Sony's PlayStation 2 with the introduction of its Xbox videogame machine this week.
